Ratna returns

Prolific shooter Sharmin Akter Ratna has been called up to the national squad for the upcoming Asian Games. She returns after nearly three years, during which the country's most successful female shooter has been overlooked due to the Bangladesh Shooting Federation's youth policy.

Ratna, who won gold medals in 10m air rifle individual and team events during the 2010 South Asian Games in Dhaka and then clinched a gold medal along with Sadia Sultana in the Commonwealth Shooting Championships in India, last represented Bangladesh in the Delhi Asian Air Gun Championship in 2015 and a month later was suspended for six months on disciplinary grounds.

In the meantime, Ratna gave birth to a baby girl, participated in the National Shooting Championships in October 2017 to bag silver in the 10m air rifle event and gold in the three-position rifle event.

“Shooting is a game of physical and mental fitness, both of which are low for me at the moment and it will take some time to regain my rhythm, but I believe I can regain my performance again,” said Ratna, who joined the training camp last Sunday.